quote:after repeated denials, officials from the Nippon Professional Baseball have admitted that they asked equipment manufacturer Mizuno to alter the specifications of the ball in order to increase offensive levels, though that was to counteract a previous alteration. Back in 2011, NPB commissioner Ryozo Kato — who oversees the Japanese Central and Japanese Pacific Leagues — ordered a change in the makeup of the balls, which were slightly smaller and lighter than those used in MLB, to bring them in line with the stateside model. Wrote the Post, “The cork core of the ball was wrapped with a low-resilience rubber and its seams were widened. The organisation also made Mizuno the sole ball supplier, dropping its three rivals.”

quote:0.54 per game in 2011 and 0.51 per game in 2012 according to data from Baseball-Reference.com. The players’ union, which felt that games had become less interesting, asked the league to review the matter. This year, the rates are back up to 0.75 per team per game, an increase of 47 percent

And hell no don't juice the ball. Anyone with eyes knew the balls and players were juiced the last time they had Brady Anderson going off, Sosa/McGwire shattering Maris in same year, with MLB building shrinking bandboxes by the dozen.

re: MLB viewership down 30%...should they juice the ball?(Posted by emanresu on 6/15/13 at 8:59 am to Iona Fan Man)

I don't like baseball because the majority of the time it's just guys standing around watching a pitch and catch. Its like if free throw shooting or field goal kicking constituted the majority of the game in basketball and football.

I watch LSU baseball only, but that's because it's LSU, not because it's baseball.

re: MLB viewership down 30%...should they juice the ball?(Posted by broeho on 6/15/13 at 9:33 am to The Future)

I like baseball, but I admit it is really hard to watch a game for 9 innings. It is hard to justify investing 3 hours towards watching a game that is just one of 162 in a season. Final 3 innings of a reasonably close game is exciting, though.

re: MLB viewership down 30%...should they juice the ball?(Posted by UltimaParadox on 6/15/13 at 10:08 am to auyushu)

So viewer levels are down when they only show the Yankees. I wonder if that has to do with this is the worst yankee lineup in years. I mean people want to see Lyle Overbay, Vernon Wells, and Travis Hafner everyday right.

The big networks are suffering while the Yankees don't have the big names to draw crowds